Formula 1 circuit roars back to Texas

Last year, Austin debuted its Circuit of the Americas, the first "purpose-built" F1 circuit in the country.

Driver Max Chilton (No. 23) will get his first chance behind the wheel for a race on the new circuit, after being the reserve driver at last yearâs inaugural event.

Driver Max Chilton (No. 23) will get his first chance behind the wheel for a race on the new circuit, after being the reserve driver at last yearâs inaugural event.

Driver Jules Bianchi (No. 22) will be racing, with the Austin race being 18 in a 19-race first season for the new F1 driver.

The United States has a long history of automobiles and racing, but it has only been in the past year that we re-entered the F1 world. What better place to start than Texas?

Last November, Austin's brand new and highly anticipated Circuit of the Americas debuted, the first "purpose-built" F1 circuit in the country.

Houston-based Rhino Marketing (which often teams up with auto-related clients including various Concours d' Elegance events and auto dealerships) works closely with a team based in Banbury, UK, that was formed in 2009 and is majority-sponsored by the Russian sports car builder Marussia.

They look forward to welcoming the Marussia team back to Texas for their second year at the Austin-area circuit for the race this Sunday, Nov. 17.

Driver Max Chilton (No. 23) is excited about getting his first time behind the wheel for a race on the new circuit, after being the reserve driver at last year's inaugural event. Chilton said the reception from fans was "fantastic and the track looked awesome," adding, "I'm really happy that I will finally get the chance to drive there."

John Booth, Team Principal, beamed and said, "It's a spectacular circuit. We can't say enough good things about it. The elevation change and interesting mix of corners are just a couple of reasons why it is an interesting challenge for the drivers and the engineers."

Driver Jules Bianchi (No. 22) will be racing, with the Austin race being 18th in a 19-race first season for the new F1 driver. He said, "I can't believe how quickly it has flown by but I'm already looking forward to my second season, as I have learned so much."

When asked about how he got into F1, he said, "My father got me into go-karting and then I was hooked. I rose through the ranks like most drivers have to, competing in Formula 3 Euro Series, Formula Renault 3.5 and GP2 Series. There is no substitute for experience in Formula 1."

When asked what an F1 driver cruises for a daily driver at home, Bianchi's answer, "an Alfa Romeo." He said, "It's no secret that I am a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy, as well, so I have been fortunate enough to drive a few nice cars on special occasions."

Where is F1 headed next? Marussia is happy to say the next circuit to be introduced to the F1 family in 2014 will be a Russian Grand Prix, based in the Black Sea resort town of Sochi, and they can't wait to invite the rest of the world to come enjoy a Formula 1 race in their neck of the woods.

Single-day tickets are available for the practice days on Friday and Saturday, as well as the main event on Sunday, by visiting www.circuitoftheamericas.com.